Ghana's Petrobras in Talks for 4 Offshore Oil and Gas Blocks
en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 21, Petrobras received approval from Ghana's Ministry of Energy and Green Transition to initiate contract negotiations for four offshore oil and gas exploration blocks in the Keta Basin. Petrobras had previously submitted its intention to explore the blocks to Ghanaian authorities and has now entered the direct negotiation phase for exploration contract terms.
The four blocks involved in this development are all located in the Keta Basin, offshore eastern Ghana. To date, the specific block names, block areas, Petrobras's proposed equity stake, exploration investment amounts, and minimum work commitments have not been disclosed, and the two parties have not yet completed the signing of the exploration contract.
According to data from the Ghana Petroleum Commission, the Accra-Keta Basin covers an area of approximately 33,900 square kilometers, of which about 1,900 square kilometers are onshore, with the remainder primarily distributed offshore. The basin is situated between the Chain Fracture Zone and the Romanche Fracture Zone. Existing geological studies have identified Cretaceous petroleum systems, including Early Cretaceous lacustrine shales and Turonian-Coniacian organic-rich shales.
Existing upstream projects in the Keta Basin include the East Keta block, which covers an area of approximately 2,239 square kilometers. The original petroleum agreement was signed in 2014, and the license is currently under force majeure suspension. This year, the Ghana Petroleum Commission has continued to promote offshore basins such as Keta to international oil and gas companies, and has been engaging with companies including Petrobras, Shell, Chevron, and Equinor regarding offshore exploration opportunities.
Petrobras has expanded its upstream exploration footprint in Africa. In 2025, the company completed the acquisition of a 27.5% stake in Block 4 in São Tomé and Príncipe and secured a 10% interest in the DWOB deepwater block in South Africa. In Block 4, Shell serves as operator with a 30% stake, while Galp and Petrobras each hold 27.5%; in the DWOB block, TotalEnergies serves as operator with a 40% stake.
The Ghana project remains in the contract negotiation stage, with no block interest awards or drilling arrangements yet in place. Petrobras's subsequent exploration work volume, partner composition, and investment plans across the four Keta Basin blocks will be determined based on the final contract.
